A national anti-violence group, the National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence sent a four-page letter today to New York State Assemblymen and women today, urging them to oppose the legalization in their state based on a weak argument that unfortunate comments made by fighters and UFC president Dana White in the past promote violence against “women, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people” in particular. The group also claims that the UFC basically encourages it’s fighters to talk like sailors.

Now, I’m as against some of the bad PR moves certain fighters have made with their loose lips and lapses of judgment the past few years, but I have yet to hear anyone who has ever cashed a UFC paycheck threaten to beat a homosexual, a woman or someone who has undergone a sex change. Using a gay slur against a straight person, although reprehensible, is not intended to be offensive to the group it ultimately defends, the same as a fighter calling another fighter “a bitch” is not done to offend female dogs. The difference is the SPCA has better things to do than write letters all day.

If you notice, the crux of the NCDAV’s argument hinges on info they were given by a group called UnfitforChildren.org, which is a front for the Culinary Union — the labor group embroiled in a legal battle with the Fertitta-Owned Station Casinos. The head of the Union is even CC’ed on the letter.

If I were the UFC, I’d be making some rebuttal-ads similar to the political ones we see around election time exposing the union’s dirty tactics. Until then I’m sure we’ll have plenty of do-good groups nobody has ever heard of like the NCDSV popping up with their soap boxes to tell people what they shouldn’t be allowed to watch or do. Between sips of jasmine tea and blogging about freecycling, these mother hens do all they can to make sure that they browbeat everyone who will listen into condemning anything that they find even remotely offensive, lest they be labeled unsympathetic to women or proponents of violence against them.

The truth is, they probably are sick of their husbands watching UFC on Saturday nights and want someone to take them to the new Rachel McAdams movie.

Anyway, if you have the stomach for it, you can read the entire useless letter below:

Dear State Assembly Member: We are writing you to raise concerns about renewed efforts by Zuffa LLC, the parent company of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), to legalize cage fighting in the State of New York.

You are no doubt aware that the State of New York banned cage fighting in 1997. We urge you to continue to uphold the ban on cage fighting, given that the UFC, the largest promoter of cage fighting events in the U.S., has failed to demonstrate that it is willing to ensure its fighters behave in a socially responsible way, even as the company expressly markets its fights and fighters to children.

We believe that the UFC contributes to a culture of violence against women, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. Children, in particular, should not be exposed to the homophobic, misogynistic and violent language that has been permitted by the UFC.

Please see the following website, UFC = Unfit For Children (www.UnfitForChildren.org), for more information. Some examples of anti-gay and anti-women statements by people associated with the UFC include the following:

• In videos, UFC light heavyweight Quinton “Rampage” Jackson repeatedly urged Japanese fans to repeat an anti-gay slur.1 The fans, who do not appear to understand English, repeated the anti-gay slur at Jackson’s urging. In one video, Jackson instructed a Japanese man to say, “Goodbye, I want you to piss on my face.”

• Recently, a UFC fighter taunted his opponent by threatening to act like former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, who has been charged with 52 counts of molesting boys. UFC fighter Rashad Evans said, “Cause I’m gonna put those hands on you worse than that dude did them other kids at Penn State.”

• In November, UFC light heavyweight fighter Forrest Griffin joked about rape on Twitter. “Rape is the new missionary,” Griffin tweeted. After a woman objected to the tweet, Griffin tweeted back, “Keep it to yourself nobody cares,” according to the Huffington Post.4

• In an expletive-filled video rant posted on YouTube.com, UFC president Dana White used an anti-gay slur, saying, “Whoever gave you that quote is a [expletive] and a [expletive] faggot and a [expletive] liar and everything else.”5 He also uttered the “F” word a total of 34 times, the “S” word 4 times, and referred to a female sports journalist as a “[expletive] dumb bitch.”6

• Joe Rogan, who does commentary for televised UFC events, recently used a homophobic slur while referring to a MMA blogger.7 Rogan also to referred to an MMA blogger as a part of the female anatomy. According to sportswriter Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports, Rogan then wrote on a blog, “Never did I imagine that so many people would get their panties in a bunch about the use of the word [expletive] to describe a female blogger.

•In a recent UFC promotional video, Michael Bisping, a UFC middleweight fighter and coach on the reality television show “The Ultimate Fighter,” screamed an anti-gay slur at his opponent.9 In addition, Bisping was quoted by ESPN saying of an opponent, “He broke rank for a moment, but other than that he was my bitch and he’ll be my bitch on Saturday night.”10

• In a radio interview last year, UFC heavyweight Frank Mir said of his opponent Brock Lesnar, “I hate who he is as a person. I want to break his neck in the ring. I want him to be the first person that dies due to Octagon-related injuries.”11 ? According to the Los Angeles Times, “Rampage” Jackson shouted “every conceivable gay slur” at a movie crew member of “The A-Team” who had called him a homophobic epithet.12 He was also quoted in the article saying, “Acting is kind of gay. It makes you soft.”

• In August, UFC heavyweight Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira was quoted saying that he would not train with gay students. He was quoted in USA Today saying, “What if the gay person has that malice of having physical contact with me, of staying there grappling? I would have no problems having a gay student in my academy, but I would rather not train with him.”

This kind of hateful rhetoric is not acceptable in America, where we are teaching our children to respect those who are different and where we are working to stop bullying in our schools and communities.

Remarkably, we have yet to find evidence that any of the UFC athletes identified in this letter have been disciplined by the UFC or its owner, Zuffa LLC. By contrast, other professional sports organizations have taken a hard stance against anti-gay conduct and have held athletes accountable through suspensions and/or fines when athletes have used homophobic epithets.

In fact, UFC president Dana White recently dismissed concerns regarding homophobic speech by people associated with the organization. In an interview, White said, “I don’t deal with the holier-than-thou, uh, bullshit. I don’t. We do the best we can do.” He also said, “How do you really think that we can possibly police 375 fighters and try to control everything they say?”

This month, a group of mothers and survivors of sexual assault in UFC’s home state of Nevada called on the UFC to stop tolerating offensive language and adopt an ethical code of conduct. The UFC has not responded to their demand.

The UFC has yet to demonstrate to the public that they are capable of promoting socially responsible behavior by its fighters. As a result, we strongly encourage you to reject any legislation that would enable this company to hold cage fighting events in the State of New York.

Respectfully,

Deborah D. Tucker Executive Director

cc: NCDSV Board of Directors Michele McKeon, New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence Joanne Zannoni, New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault Stacey Sarver, WomensLaw.org Chris Serres, Culinary Workers Union, Local 226

Cagepotato Comments

Showing 1-25 of comments

@Xeno,RAN Fleet Air Arm 1980-1990, served on 723 and 817 sqdrn's, great times!

bigstupidsmile- January 12, 2012 at 8:07 pm

Some of you folks are just apes who have shaved. Brad, good job on being a mature human and having a grasp on your maturity. For real. I urge everyone to read the letter Stephen Koepfer wrote in response (linked above) and take some notes about how to not act like petulant little children and proving that our detractors have some valid points.

nymmanow- January 12, 2012 at 4:01 pm

Rebuttal from the Coalition to Legalize MMA in NY
http://nymmanow.blogspot.com/2012/01/rebuttal-ncdsv-has-it-all-wrong.html

TigrMchine- January 12, 2012 at 3:12 pm

If the best you guys can do for a retort is "Shut the fuck up" and "you need the cock" Please quit defending MMA. You're playing right into their hands

XENOPHON- January 12, 2012 at 10:14 am

@KarmaAteMyCat
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I'll bring the stunt double as suggest, but you explain for me how you think these angry bitches haven't been getting enough Penis in their diet.
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I know about angry chicks, have pissed of more than one, more than a few times. With the Lesbians, the married with kids, cock won't solve the problem.
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What then?

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HardKnockLife- January 12, 2012 at 9:05 am

This group claims to be completely against Anti-Gay statements and trying promote equality, but I'd like to know how many of them actually support gays? It's one thing to wish them well, its another to support gay marriage and gay rights.

BigzMMA- January 12, 2012 at 9:00 am

You all know what this really is, its New York's non government's final front before legalisation, they are on the verge of breaking and they know it. If all the fans and fighters from the state of New York, combined with the efforts made by the UFC among other MMA promotions willing to join the efforts, can break this terrible attempt to stop the legalisation of MMA in New York and we will gain the NYC in no time at all. Do I feel a event happening at the MSG by the end of the year? I think so.

Am I the only one that sees this for what it really is? A pathetic plea by these ladies to have Dana send GSP to smooth things over with them.

XENOPHON- January 12, 2012 at 7:51 am

@fatbellyfrank
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FBF, you where in the Navy???? When and where?

Shaky- January 12, 2012 at 7:50 am

A few guys are homophobic and make rape jokes...therefore MMA should be illegal....no...that is not how these decisions should be made. Apparently there are some homphobic and sexist women in the government...ban government???...Anarchy...uh oh...anarchy leads to a lot of rape...so...fail?

Also that new Rachel McAdams film with Channing Scrotum...saw a trailed last night and Oh My God, worst premise for a film ever.

Girl and guy are being lame in a car

Car gets hit by a truck (why are there so many trucks/lorrys on city roads in films?)

Then the rest of the film is him trying to win back her love...teach her how to love...stop her loving someone else....what else can we squeeze out of this desperately thin story.

THAT, my friends, SHOULD BE ILLEGAL! It's offensive to men - both in the unrealistic expectations and portrayals of a loving man - as well as being offensive to our eyes, ears and noses (overwhelming smell of menses/discharge present in the theatre).

Btw, I am totally against rape and homophobia. Gay people are people all the same and some of them enjoy MMA without a sexual association. Do you find women's MMA particularly arousing?...wait don't answer that...you guys are freaks.

RSparrow- January 12, 2012 at 7:13 am

Just some tough love for the newbie... Nothin compared to the shit I used to give karma. But ya, I get ya...

Someone hasn't been getting enough Penis in their diet... I say we the Potato Nation hook them angry disgruntled unappreciated women up. I vote Xeno! Go get em Xeno do your thing teach them what the touch of love from a real man is like and while your at it take Evan Tanner's stunt double with you, It'll be the most epic MMA Porn ever!

LukeTheDuke- January 12, 2012 at 4:59 am

That poor, dead horse. Stop beating it.

fatbellyfrank- January 12, 2012 at 4:38 am

The group also claims that the UFC basically encourages it’s fighters to talk like sailors.???
What the fucks that shit, I was in the fucken Navy and I'm a fucken gentleman.....and dont you cunts forget it, fucken whinin bitches

Me likey- January 12, 2012 at 4:33 am

dear nawv,
stop being so cunty and get back in the kitchen. that is all.
if anything the ufc promotes violence of men on men. everybody knows dana white wants nothing to do with womens mma.

AndyInflammatory- January 12, 2012 at 4:18 am

@RSparrow:

I think he signed off like that for the purposes of this post so he didn't put his name and location up on a public forum. Although he left his name in the original email.

Which would have been a rookie oversight.

But you see what I'm saying.

KeithHackneyWindmillPalmStrike- January 12, 2012 at 4:13 am

These bitches better stop being so cunty or I'm going to rape them.....oh shit, I broke some rules for the new year......suck it....The doctored sign on the headline pic is fucking hilarious BTW

Giblets- January 12, 2012 at 3:44 am

Why do they have female astronauts?
Cause they're 30 pounds lighter than a dishwasher

gruge- January 12, 2012 at 1:46 am

It’s the same argument that comes up again and again. If it’s not MMA its rap music, if not music its computer games, if not games its TV, blah blah fucking blah.

It is up to the parent if you disagree with something to teach your child ethically, why you feel it is wrong. You cannot arrogantly bring a child into the world and then expect to bend it to fit around you and how you feel your child should be bought up. Its fucking lazy parenting. Maybe if you spent more time raising your children and less time kicking up a fuss about something you have no control over then you wouldn’t have anything to worry about in the first place.

RSparrow- January 12, 2012 at 12:09 am

"Awesome guy who reads cage potato" ... Eeesh

RSparrow- January 12, 2012 at 12:06 am

If you just want laughs then so be it. If you want your take on the issue to be taken seriously, then write in a professional manner. CP's got enough damage control to deal with... Though we may think this organization is nothing and over-reacting, they seem like a group that would just add CP to the list. I know you expected praise and a slow clap... But you ain't gettin that shit from me. At least make it funny?....

RSparrow- January 11, 2012 at 11:45 pm

@Remeadial,
That was the worst letter I've ever read, and don't include the followers of this website in your high-school thesis.

smellypiratehooker- January 11, 2012 at 11:27 pm

@Seth
cracking open vintage jargen. *looking at you, Kaboom*

AndyInflammatory- January 11, 2012 at 10:24 pm

The homeless people of New York are all collectively nodding their heads. They know an important cause when they see one.

smiledriver- January 11, 2012 at 10:12 pm

*they target UFC...sorry.

smiledriver- January 11, 2012 at 10:11 pm

Two things...

1.) They seem to have a problem with the UFC not MMA. Yet they target MMA. If there were a promotion that reigned in it's fighters would they be okay with the ban being lifted?

I get scared when things hit things. Even though I'm at my home making sure my beliefs get set in stone somewhere I'm not welcome... It's nice to know that if someone pisses me off enough, I can secretly beat their ass and still be opposed to violence.

Dear woman against violence...SHUT THE FUCK UP...
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it'sc alled the rgiht to free speech bitches...yo know the reason your allowed to protest?.
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i wonder how many of you so called woman against violence, have taken self defense classes to help you aviod getting raped/and or slashed murdered, and last i looked you fucking yeast infected rancid cunts....it's up the PARENTS to monitor what ther children watch.. not you..
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you have the same choices as everyone else does... if you dont like watching the ufc... then change the mufffucking channel bitches (you see what i did there??? MuFF fucking ). hah hah
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it's kinda like how i dont watch days of our lives, cause i think its stupid and worthless.. you dont see me petitioning the govenor of nevada to ban days of our lives because so and so is having an affiar , and so and so killed this person... blah blah..(hmm. wonder what those toddlers are watching while you sit on the couch in your size 58 pajama's whatching some dude named victor bang some slut housewive cheating on her husband).
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surprise there watching the same shit you are ya fukking cunts..
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stfu and let us grown ups be grown ups..
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p.s. i do not advocate violence to woman of any kind. and those that do should be shot in the face at close range with a tank..
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the end
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yea yea i knwo you guys.. aint none of those bitches reading this site.. but .. it had to be said nonetheless.
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why is always some fucking small group wants to change the country for a small minority of people.. last i looked it was the vast majority rules..

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Rocky Blunt- January 11, 2012 at 6:17 pm

burn in hell liberal scum

XENOPHON- January 11, 2012 at 6:03 pm

QUOTE: "The group also claims that the UFC basically encourages it’s fighters to talk like sailors." Applause from Southern California!
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Someone please tell contact Deborah D. Tucker, Executive Director with the National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence, and please let her know that she missed the whole Torres "rape van" incident. It really ought to be included in her very well written letter.
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Opps, well done Brad White.
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Think it is a coincidence that ESPN released their "UFC is Monopoly" video on the same day this letter was published?

Ps...Brad White sure sounds like he is in some relation with Dana White. GRIN

Kid Clam Curtains- January 11, 2012 at 5:41 pm

I bet a picture of overeems thundercock would change these fug bushpigs' tune.

If the politicians are half as lazy as I am (and come on, we all know they are) they won't get through the first 5 points.
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My keyboard doesn't have one of these symbols.
http://www.google.com/recaptcha/api/image?c=03AHJ_VutFsTlSt1owNkyswt_7dJwDrLOh_2KyOU0jSzW33I3HYcZBZGyFigXnp__OUaGExnselCM6F-VWxPuTutzTCFJ6jof9SFhrSfrPHMnGTXA2PhmDWzRN6N59uN-OWWiNK9NX2il3bmIqFL4_YCpRxeh5jhBsiQ

ClinchthatstoleChristmas- January 11, 2012 at 5:11 pm

do they hate the interweb too?

parchy mcthirst- January 11, 2012 at 5:09 pm

^^Good job. Now, those women will be all over Cage Potato's ass

remeadial- January 11, 2012 at 5:03 pm

Send your feelings to this email I found on their website:
dtucker@ncdsv.org

I just sent this to her:

Debbie,

Hi there, my name is Brad White and I am a major fan of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). I am also a fan of your cause. I think domestic and sexual violence is one of the worst aspects of our society and I think your cause is truly important. With that being said, today I read on one of my favorite MMA websites that the NCDSV has written a letter to New York to uphold an unjust and unconstitutional ban on MMA.

In every word of the letter, it showed your organization's lack of understanding and knowledge of MMA and the fighters whose livelihoods depend on MMA. For every bullet you point to where a fighter has made a comment that is not okay with anti-gay slurs, etc. I can show you ten bullets where they have shown their exemplary characters and their amazing and overwhelming benefit to the community. In one of the slurs not even listed in your letter by an MMA fighter, Miguel Torres was immediately fired from the organization. He was only let back in when he spent weeks at anti-rape shelters around the Chicago area (on his own with no promise of getting back into the UFC), made donations to that shelter, and attended rape counseling and then apologized (on his own) for his irresponsible and ignorant actions. Another fighter, Forrest Griffin, when he realized that a joke he made hurt people, apologized and then spent a week helping at a local shelter in Las Vegas. Just today, Rich Franklin, a former school teacher, was on the popular show "The Doctor" to show women how to be good at self-defense. These are the principles of martial arts, honor and being a good person. Moreover, the UFC has been one of the greatest supporters of the military and supported victims of violence in the past in NYC.

I'm sure, that if you actually reached out to the UFC they would be more than open to promoting and broadcasting how amazing your organization is and the importance of your cause. They've shown nothing but generosity and open-mindedness in the past to other important causes. They've consistently spoken out against violence and removed any fighters that have had issues with this outside of their sport with consistency. Instead, you've chosen to partner with a corrupt union who only wants to prevent martial artists from their livelihood in NY because Lorrenzo Fertitta will not unionize his casinos. I assure you, the fighters in the UFC have done nothing to merit this false letter that you've sent to the officials in NY. Nothing could be further from the truth in your accusations and lack of understanding of the greatest sport in the world.

Thanks,

Awesome guy who reads Cage Potato

smellypiratehooker- January 11, 2012 at 4:36 pm

@Fightfan
Ya, I suppose that is the case. That must be why Dana was so sure that it would be legalized this year, He's writing the big checks, to the right peolple

El Guapo- January 11, 2012 at 4:29 pm

Didn't read it, too long. Was it about making sammiches? It was, wasn't it? I like sammiches.

fightfan9- January 11, 2012 at 4:26 pm

Smelly, a lot of corrupt politicians are getting their pockets lined by a lot of boxing promoters in New York. The main arguments that people make against MMA is an argument you can make against any sport.

Dizzylittlelord- January 11, 2012 at 4:22 pm

theyre writing to polititions who hate homosexuals, not the greatest arguement

smellypiratehooker- January 11, 2012 at 4:19 pm

Not sure why boxing would be legal but MMA not. As for their fowl mouth arguement, there is a dandy little speech that Tyson gives to a reporter that trumps anything that the UFC guys said( I don't know how you guys make the links in blue, but if I could I would do it). I believe it is titled " I'll fuck you till you love me, faggot ", on youtube.